MARTIN

64. M A R T I N

Mennonite Martins are extremely numerous in Waterloo Region (County) of Ontario -- especially in Kitchener-Waterloo and in the townships north of the Twin Cities and spreading out into adjacent townships in other counties. The telephone directories for Kitchener-Waterloo, Elmira and St. Jacobs list over 10 columns of Martins. No doubt, the bulk of these are Mennonites of Mennonite ancestry, not Amish Mennonite ancestry.

No Amish Mennonite Martins seem to have come to Canada, although a few have been found among the relatives of our immigrants in Europe -- primarily in the Province of Lorraine in . Two Amish Mennonite Martin families migrated to Lewis County, New York. It is possible they were brothers. Some of Lewis County Martin families have connections with the Amish Mennonite families in Canada.

The Martin connections to folks in Canada are as follows:

[1] Michel and Anna (Jantzi) Zehr arrived in New York harbour in June 1833, with nine children and made their way to upper New York State. Michel had a brother George, married to Elisabeth Mosimann. Their daughter Mary married Christoph/Christian Martin. They immigrated to Lewis County with two children in 1848.

The following is a partial outline of this Zehr family:

Michel Zehr (ca.1755-1813) d. on the Farm Olferding, Gros-Rederching, , Lorraine, France 1m. Catherine Eash 2m. Anna Marie Kohler (ca.1753-1806) d. at Olferding 3m. Madeleine Farny (ca.1783- ) d. probably in Canada Michel Zehr had 7 known children

Two of four children of second marriage: 1) Michel Zehr (1791-1880) b. Meisental, Moselle; d. Croghan, NY m. Anna Jantzi (1795-1886) Immigrated to Lewis County in 1833

Son Michael J. Zehr, (b. 1812, Belgrad, , Moselle) m. Barbara Boshart (living in Canada by 1840)

2) George Zehr (1794-1849) b. ; d. Montigny, Meurthe-et-Moselle m. Elisabeth Mosimann

Dau. Marie Zehr (1822-1913) b. Chazelles, Moselle m. 1841 to Christophe/Christian Martin (1815-1882) [see below for further information] b. Igney, Vosges; d. Hopedale, Illinois son of Christophe Martin and Elisabeth Sert Immigrated to U.S.A. in 1848 with 2 children

A child of third marriage: 3) Peter Zehr (1809- ) b. Gros-Rederching, Moselle; d. S Easthope, Canada m. Barbara Roth Immigrated to Lewis Co., NY in 1835, with son Andrew born enroute. Immigrated to Canada 1838/39

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[2] Besides the Martin connection to the above Zehr family, many of whom lived in Canada, Joseph Martin (1841-1932) of Croghan, New York came to Canada after his first wife died to find his second wife, Barbara Bast, whom he married in 1878. - 1 -

MARTIN

THE CHRISTOPHE MARTIN FAMILY:

Christophe Martin, son of Christian Martin (1737-1837; 100 yrs. old) and Barbara Koch (ca.1750- 1822) b. Nov. 11, 1786/89, , Moselle, Lorraine, France d. 3 May 1873, , France m. 13 Dec. 1810, Domèvre-sur-Vezouze, Moselle elisabeth Zehr /Zert/serre, dau. of Christian Zehr and Catherine Litwiller b. June 24, 1789, Hellering, Moselle d. 11 Mar. 1783, Imling

Christian Martin farmed at Igney, Meurthe-et-Moselle. In about 1818 they relocated 13 miles north to live on the farm LaForge [French: Ferme de la Forge] below Imling, Moselle.

Children:

1. Catherine Martin, b. April 11, 1813 at Igney, Meurthe-et-Moselle

2. Christophe Martin, b. 20 Jan. 1815, Igney, Meurthe-et-Moselle d. Feb. 22, 1882 Hopedale, Illinois m. Feb. 22, 1841 at Imling Marie Zehr, dau. of George Zehr (1794-1849) and Elisabeth Mosimann [see Zehr family list above] b. Apr. 22, 1822 at Chazelles, Moselle d. Feb. 1, 1913 at Hopedale, Illinois Immigrated to U.S.A. in 1848 with 2 children

3. Elisabeth Martin, b. Oct. 14, 1817/18, at Igney, Moselle d. Dec. 24, 1870 at , Moselle. m. April 4, 1836 at Gondrexange Christian Roth, son of Christian Roth and Anne Lehman. b. Aug. 14, 1808

4. André Martin, b. 15 Apr. 1820, Imling, Moselle d. 1871 at , Moselle m. Sept. 1,1850 at Imling Catherine Schertz, dau of Jean Schertz and Catherine Abresol b. March 31, 1825 at Reherrey, Meurthe-et-Moselle d. Oct. 25, 1868died at Oberstinzel

5. Joseph Martin, b. 8 Feb. 1824, Imling m. Feb. 4, 1873 at Imling to his cousin Anne Martin, dau. of Nicolas Martin and Catherine Sommer. b. May 10, 1812, at , Moselle d. Jan. 25, 1883 Imling

6. Jean Pierre Martin, b. 19 May 1825, Imling [b. 20 May, 1826, Imling (from Hébert)]

7. Nicolas Martin, b. 21 Mar. 1835, Imling, d. Feb. 19, 1905at Beemer, Nebraska. Immigrated to America in 1854, settling in Tazewll County, Illinois m. April 1, 1855 in Tazewell County, Illinois Catherine 'Katie' Litwiller, dau. of Joseph Litwiller and Barbara Ulrich b. May 21, 1834 in Ohio d. May 1, 1930, at Milford, Nebraska

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MARTIN

THE JOSEPH MARTIN FAMILY:

Researchers have found several Amish Mennonite families with the name Martin living in adjacent villages, including Zilling and , in the northeast corner of what is today the Department of Moselle,

Loraine, France. Three of them, listed below, could be siblings, but there is no proof.

1. Nicolas Martin (ca.1732-1814) m. Jacobée Roggy 2. Madeleine Martin (1733-1805) m. Christian Koch, son of Minister/Elder Nikolaus Koch 3. Christian Martin (1737-1837; 100 yrs. old) m. Barbara Koch, dau. of Minister/Elder Nikolaus Koch

If these three Martins are indeed siblings, then the two Martin families included in this Martin Introduction are related, Christophe a son of Christian Martin, and Joseph a son of Nicolas, would be first cousins.

When Joseph Martin (b. 1775) was about 70 years old, he and his wife Barbe Ebersol and some young children sailed from Le Havre, France on the St. Nicholas. Barbe died before the ship arrived at New York Jan. 4, 1847.

The ship passenger list shows: J. Martin, 70; Cath., 5; Barbe, 7; Joseph, 3; André, 6; P. Martin, 2 André, 6;

The identity of the 6 little children this elderly couple was bringing across the ocean, including two six-year- olds named Andre, is a puzzle for researchers. Two of the children, Barbe, 7, and André, 6, are most likely their grandchildren, the children of their son Joseph Martin and Barbara Bechler. This Martin family settled in Lewis County, New York. Some sources say that Joseph Martin (b. 1775) died in 1844 in (Hangviller), France, but no death entries were found at any of the probable locations. It is more likely that Joseph Martin died at Croghan, New York before the 1850 census.

Joseph Martin (b. 1775) was the son of Nicolas Martin. Nicolas Martin was born about 1732, and died in 1814 at , Moselle. He married Jacobée Roqui/Rogi/Rogy, who was born about 1735, and died in 1798 at Bickenholtz. They farmed at Hangviller (now near the northeast border of the department of Moselle with Lower Alsace) from 1773 or earlier. In 1792 they relocated to Bickenholtz (four miles west of Hangviller). Nicolas remained there after Jacobée's death. In 1806 he relocated to Gosselming (five miles west of Bickenholtz).

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MARTIN THE JOSEPH MARTIN FAMILY

Joseph Martin, sr. son of Nicolas Martin and Jacobée Roqui/Rogi/Rogy b. Nov. 30, 1775, Hangviller, Moselle, Lorraine , France d. before 1850? m. March 5, 1804 at Rhodes, Moselle barbe ebersol/abresol dau. of Joseph Abresol and Barbe Vercler/Wurgler granddaughter of Jacques Abresol and Anne Lichti b. Aug. 13, 1779/80, at Rhodes, Lorraine, d. 1846, Atlantic Ocean

Two sons of Joseph Martin and Barbe Ebersol (2 – See Notes below)

A. Joseph Martin Jr. son of Joseph Martin and Barbe Ebersol b. 19 Mar. 1805 or 25 Mar. 1806 at , Lorraine d. 4 Mar. 1899 at Croghan, Lewis County, New York 1m. Barbe Bechler at , Lorraine, France (Barbe Beckler died in Europe) (suspect information) 2m. Barbara Ebersol at Croghan, New York, ca. 1850 (suspect information) This family sailed from France on the ship St. Nicholas and arrived at New York on January 4, 1847.

Four children, all by first wife 1. Barbara Martin b.10 April 1838, Lorraine, France d. 19 Feb. 1917 at Croghan, New York m. ca. 1857 to John Nafziger at Croghan, New York

2. Andrew Martin b. 27 Mar. 1840, Lorraine, France d. 29 Nov. 1887, Ritchie, Newton Co., Missouri m. 1886 to Sophia Steiner at Croghan, New York

3. Catherine Martin b. 5 Dec.1841, Waltembourg, Moselle, Lorraine d. 26 Dec. 1932, Lewis County, New York m. 24 Oct. 1861 to Michael B. Zehr at Croghan, New York

4. Peter Martin b. 5 Dec.1844, Waltembourg, Lorraine d. 1846 on Atlantic Ocean

The 1850 census of Croghan shows farmer Joseph Martin, 45, Germany; Barbaray, 38, Germany; Barbaray, 11, Germany; Andrew, 10, Germany; and Catharine, 8, New York. Jan. 4,

B. Andrew Martin, son of Joseph Martin and Barbe Ebersol b. 23 Oct. 1806? Langatte, Moselle, Lorraine d. 11 Nov. 1884 at Croghan, Lewis County, New York m. Barbara Schertz, (at Lorraine, France) dau. of Jean Schertz and Vatherine Abresol d. Nov. 5, 1872 This family left France about 1852 with 3 children. (Andrew and Barbara were cousins)

Four children: 1. Marie Martin b. 3 Feb. 1837, Lorraine, France d. 15 Oct. 1911 at Croghan, New York m. ca 1855 to Andrew Zehr at Croghan, New York

2. John Martin born and died in infancy in Lorraine, France

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MARTIN

3. John Martin b. 22 Sept. 1841, Lorraine, France d. 3 Oct. 1932 at Croghan, New York 1m. Barbara Roggie (1849-1876) at Croghan, New York 2m. Barbara Bast at Croghan, New York on 24 Jan. 1878 dau. of George and Magdalena (Ernst) Bast of Wellesley, Ontario (This marriage in recorded in the Wellesley (Ontario) Amish Mennonite congregation Record Book)

Children of John and Barbara (Roggie) Martin

1) Barbara Martin (1872-1938) m. Solomon Widrick 2) Katherine Martin (1876)

Children of John and Barbara (Bast) Martin

3) Leah Martin (1879-1959) m. Daniel Steria 4) Andrew Martin (1880-1914) m. Clara Meyer 5) Mary Martin (1881- ) m. George Jackson 6) George Martin (1883-1950) m. Rose Steria 7) John B. Martin (1886-1964) m. Lovina Widrick 8) Joseph Martin (1888-1960) m. Jeanette Meyer 9) Lena Martin (1889-1962) m. Jacob N. Widrick 10) Irene Martin (1891-1920) m. Jacob R. Moser 11) Benjamin H. Martin (1893-1969) m. Mabel Lehman 12) Emma Martin (1894- 1971) m. Benjamin Z. Lehman (See Lorraine Roth’s BAST file for more details on this family. Arlene Yousey had mistakenly called the mother of Barbara Bast Barbara as well.)

4. Chris Martin b. 11 June 1843 at Lorraine, France d. 23 July 1915, Croghan, Lewis County, New York m. Louise Yancey (originally Elizabeth Jantzi) dau. of Peter and Magdalena (Zehr) Yancey

NOTES

1) When I (Bruce W. Jantzi) was doing the set-up of Lorraine Roth’s research papers for the Martin Family Introduction, there seemed to be a number of loose ends. Some of the information was still in hand-written form. The family charts have been made by amalgamating information from Lorraine Roth, Carl D. Martin, and Joseph Peter Staker (who published Amish Mennonites in Tazewell County, Illinois). I realized I could have misinterpreted the information I had for this Martin Family Introduction.

2) We have record of two sons of Joseph Martin and Barbe Ebersol, Joseph Jr. and Andrew. Note from Lorraine Roth: I have not yet proven that Andrew Martin 1806?-1884 who married to Barbe Schertz is the same Andrew Martin who was son of Joseph Martin Sr. and Barbe Ebersol. However, Joseph and Andrew Martin settled near each other on the Croghan-Belfort Road in Lewis County, New York. Carl D. Martin supposes they may have been brothers. Joseph Peter Staker states they are brothers.

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MARTIN

Sources:

1. Strangers and Pilgrims, History of Lewis County Mennonites by Arlene Yousey. 1987, Croghan, New York

2. Genealogies of Three Large Families of Lewis County. . .Farney . . .Virkler . . .Zehr by Mrs. Ira G. Farney, and Mrs. Urban Karcher, Volume II, Castorland, New York, 1989

3. Lorraine Roth’s ZEHR and BAST files, available at Conrad Grebel University College Archives, Waterloo, Ontario

4. “The Joseph Martin Sr. Family” - a sheet of notes, partially handwritten, probably supplied by Carl D. Martin

5. Amish Mennonites in Tazewell County, Illinois by Joseph Peter Staker

Lorraine Roth Tavistock, Ontario April, 2008

~ Updated with new research and reformatted by Bruce W. Jantzi, 2017

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